New Delhi: Severe heat wave conditions prevailing in Gujarat, especially in the city, where mercury levels broke the 100-year old record yesterday, claimed another four lives, taking the total number of such deaths here to eight in this season. “Four persons died due to heat stroke in Ahmedabad in the last two days, taking the total number of deaths to eight this summer. We have admitted 20 new patients today. At present around 50 such patients are being treated in different government-run hospitals in the city (for heat-related ailments),” a statement issued by the health department of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) said.
Meanwhile, people across Gujarat received much-needed respite from extreme heat today, as maximum temperature dropped by 2 to 4 degrees Celsius today, mainly due to windy weather. Earlier yesterday, extreme heat broke 100-years record, as maximum temperature in Ahmedabad touched 48.0 degree Celsius. Maximum temperature in several other cities, too, passed the 45 degrees mark yesterday. However, in a huge respite to citizens, no city today touched the 45 degree Celsius mark and Ahmedabad was the hottest city across the state today with 44.6 degrees Celsius, a drop of 3.4 degrees Celsius.
Similarly, mercury dropped in other parts state. In Gandhinagar, where the mercury touched 48 mark yesterday, maximum temperature dropped to 44.5 today. Maximum temperature in Deesa town of Banaskantha district, which had also recorded 48 degrees Celsius yesterday, also came down to 42.8 degrees, said a statement by the city-based Met Centre.
According to Met officials, the temperature may drop further in the coming days. “Due to winds coming from Arabian sea, maximum temperature dropped across Gujarat today. As per our predictions, it will further drop in the coming days. After May 23, the temperature across Gujarat would remain in the range of 42 to 43 degrees, which is a normal range for the state,” Assistant Director of Met Centre Manorama Mohanty said.